A passenger ferry has sunk off the coast near the post of Cebu, in the central Philippines, after colliding with a cargo ship. With 831 passengers and crew members on board, the ferry took less than ten minutes to sink after the impact. The local coastguard and a fleet of vessels immediately initiated the rescue attempt saving 629 persons. 32 deaths have been confirmed and 170 missing, but divers inspecting the wreckage talk of many bodies trapped in the hull of the ship, which has come to rest at a depth of 46 metres.

The search for missing persons continues, with the help of coastguard helicopters. Many of the survivors who ended up in the sea before the ship sank are suffering from the effects of prolonged contact with oil and fuel that escaped from the sinking ship.